PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Demian Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and vlatko lib (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Silva
vs
lib

185 cm
21
222 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

186 cm
22
213 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Demian Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, vlatko lib!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
lib wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
lib fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Silva checks it well.
lib tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Silva gets in close and instigates a clinch.
lib tries a knee to the head but Silva blocks it.
lib displaying some good clinch control by pressing Silva up against the cage.
lib tries a knee to the head but Silva blocks it.
lib pressing his opponent against the cage.
lib tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Silva avoids it.
Silva gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like vlatko lib has been cut.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Crunch! Silva slams his shin into lib's torso.

lib closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Silva managing to block the knees to the body from lib.
Silva avoiding damage as lib throws knees to the body.
Silva's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Silva landing knees to the body.
lib looks gassed!
lib tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Silva avoids it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Silva.
Silva comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
lib tries to clinch up
and Silva counters with a head kick. That will keep lib thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
lib darts in trying to clinch

and Silva counters with a crisp right hand that drops lib! Silva lets lib back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
lib tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Silva clinches with his opponent.
Silva jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as lib walks away with a smile on his face. Silva gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
lib tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Silva counters with a nice low kick that buckles lib's knee momentarily.
Silva lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That has opened up vlatko lib's cut even more.
Silva lands a nice looking kick to the body. lib takes a step back to recover.
lib walks forward, straight into a front kick from Silva.
Good leg kick by Silva there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
lib blocks a head kick by Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Silva.
Silva scores with a leg kick.
Silva connects with a solid leg kick.
Silva connects with a solid leg kick.
Silva thuds a left hand into lib's body.
Silva throws a head kick but lib moves out of range.
Silva with a nice cross.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses lib's front leg but catches the back leg as lib tries to avoid it.
lib tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Silva uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before lib has time to react.
A good leg kick by Silva.

Silva rushes lib and presses him up against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Silva.
Silva comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Crunch! Silva slams his shin into lib's torso.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Silva.
lib on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Silva. Silva obviously looking to wear him down.
Silva lands with a good body shot.

lib tries to keep at a distance but Silva has taken the fight into the clinch.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Silva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Silva moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Silva lands with a kick to the ribs.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
lib wants to clinch
and Silva counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
lib has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Silva.
Silva throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Demian Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
lib dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

lib instigates a clinch.
lib lands a knee to the head.
Silva lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
lib avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.
lib with a knee to the head.
Silva tries to land knees in the clinch but lib avoids the damage to the body.
lib's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Silva misses with an elbow strike.
lib misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.
lib connects with a knee to the head.
lib putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Silva in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
lib tries a knee to the head but Silva blocks it.
Silva throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but lib blocks it with crossed arms.
lib trying to land knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Silva is trying to force a seperation but lib has the dominant position.
A right hook to the body lands for lib.
lib with an attempt at a knee that misses.
lib misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
lib tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Silva counters with a slapping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Demian Silva dominated that round.
The cut man is working on vlatko lib's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

lib blocks a leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - lib looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva throws a leg kick that is checked
and lib counters with a head kick.
lib showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
lib tries to clinch up
and Silva counters with a slapping leg kick.
lib doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
Silva misses with a double jab.
lib looks to clinch
and Silva counters with a head kick. That will keep lib thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Silva is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that lib can do to turn this around?
Silva shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
lib throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt
and Silva counters with a flying knee. Nice.

The cut above vlatko lib's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
lib moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Demian Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
lib looks to clinch
and Silva counters with a head kick.
vlatko lib is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
lib tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Silva makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
lib is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
lib wants to clinch
and Silva counters with a leg kick.
lib tries to clinch up
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
lib closes the distance but Silva moves to the side
and Silva counters with a low kick, right behind lib 's knee.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
lib looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
lib fails with an attempt to clinch.
Silva throws a leg kick
and lib counters with a low kick, right behind Silva 's knee.
An inside leg kick lands from Silva.
lib moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
lib tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Silva counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
lib is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva throws a leg kick

and lib counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
lib throws a knee to the head but misses.
lib lands a knee to the head.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but lib is blocking nicely.
lib tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Silva avoids it.
Silva avoiding damage as lib throws knees to the body.
Silva lands with a left to the head.
lib working Silva over with knees to the body.
lib fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
lib lands a body punch.
lib scores a nice knee to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from lib.
lib working Silva over with knees to the body.
lib goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
lib tries a knee to the head but Silva blocks it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
lib blocks the elbow strike.
lib is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
lib moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
lib dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Silva. That did some damage!
Silva moves out of range of the body kick.
lib tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Silva counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
lib closes the distance but Silva moves to the side
and Silva counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Silva misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from lib.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva darts in and clinches lib up against the cage.
lib landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Silva lands an elbow inside that lib shrugs off.

vlatko lib's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
lib goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Silva fails to pull guard.
lib lands a body shot.
lib misses with a knee strike.
Silva controlling the action here for a moment.
Silva is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
lib tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
lib throws a wild body kick that Silva sees coming a mile off.
Silva throws a head kick but lib moves out of range.

lib pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Demian Silva has scored more points in the clinch so far.
lib digs a right hand into Silva's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Silva's gas tank.
lib tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Silva's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

vlatko lib showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on vlatko lib's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Silva misses with a leg kick
and lib counters with a thumping low kick.
Silva fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt lib.
lib tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Silva counters with a nice body kick.
lib lands with a kick to the temple. Silva shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Silva throws a leg kick

and lib moves into the clinch.
Silva is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but lib is keeping busy.
lib tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
lib has Silva pressed against the cage.
Silva is looking to control lib's arms but lib gets an underhook and turns him. Now Silva has his back to the cage.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
lib wants to stall.
A knee to the head by Silva.
lib misses with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
lib on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Silva tries to circle away but lib has him pinned against the cage.
Silva tries to circle away but lib has him pinned against the cage.
lib lands with a left to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throws an elbow that misses.
Silva throws an elbow but it's blocked.
lib missing with knees to the body.
lib missing with knees to the body.
Silva avoiding damage as lib throws knees to the body.
lib missing with knees to the body.
lib with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva managing to block the knees to the body from lib.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Silva throws a leg kick

and lib holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silva is stalling here.
Knees to the body from lib.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
lib tries to clinch up
and Silva counters with a good low kick that lib was not able to check.
lib wants to clinch
and Silva counters with a low kick, right behind lib 's knee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
lib darts in trying to clinch
and Silva counters with a thumping low kick.
Silva throws a head kick that lib semi-blocks.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt
and Silva counters with a lovely shot to the body.
lib takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
lib checks a leg kick nicely.
lib with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Silva to score with a decent uppercut.
lib darts in trying to clinch

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Silva.
Silva pushes off an throws an elbow but lib leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but lib has double underhooks.

Silva manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
lib keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
lib throws a nice inside leg kick.
lib tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Silva counters with a slapping leg kick.
lib tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but lib paws at him with a jab and circles away.
lib is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
lib tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

lib clinches up against the cage.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Silva is trying to break free.
Silva tries to stall but lib uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
lib tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
lib fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
lib lands a good knee to the midsection. Silva won't want to take too many of those.
lib misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.
Silva misses with an elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
lib trying to land knees to the body.
lib using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
lib missing with knees to the body.
lib landing knees to the head.
Silva lands an elbow inside.
lib throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Silva blocks it with crossed arms.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silva trying to land knees to the body.
lib misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.
lib is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
lib managing to block the knees to the body from Silva.
lib unloads a knee to the mid-section. Silva lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
lib using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Silva has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. lib smiles and moves away.
lib darts in trying to clinch
and Silva cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Silva misses with a leg kick
and lib counters with a thumping low kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to vlatko lib.
I think lib has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a draw!